Battlefield: Bad Company 2

Synopsis

Bad Company 2 is set in a fictional Second Russo-American War, with the United States facing invasion as Russia invades Europe and Alaska while supporting China and the Latin American Militia. The player primarily controls Private Preston Marlowe, a member of the fireteam Bad Company, which includes Private Terrence Sweetwater, Private George Gordon Haggard Jr., and Sergeant Samuel D. Redford, with helicopter pilot Flynn transporting them. The prologue mission takes place in 1944 during World War II, where US commandos infiltrate a Japanese-held island to secure a defecting scientist working on a weapon called Scalar, a massive electromagnetic pulse weapon.

After escaping with the scientist, the team witnesses the weapon create a tsunami that kills them. In the present day, Bad Company assists a US intelligence operation in Russia to secure a suspected WMD, discovering it to be a Scalar. They learn from General Braidwood that the weapon was fake and are assigned to Special Activities Division to find the real weapon, sending them to Bolivia to meet CIA agent Aguire.

Downloadable content

Seven map packs were released for Bad Company 2. Map Pack 1 added Nelson Bay for Rush and Laguna Alta for Conquest. Map Pack 2 added Laguna Presa for Rush and Arica Harbour for Conquest. Map Pack 3 made Laguna Alta available for Squad Rush and Nelson Bay for Squad Deathmatch.

Map Pack 4 added Atacama Desert for Rush and Port Valdez for Conquest. Map Pack 5 added White Pass for Rush and Nelson Bay for Conquest. Map Pack 6 added Panama Canal for Squad Deathmatch and Laguna Presa for Squad Rush. Map Pack 7 included Oasis and Harvest Day from the first Bad Company, playable in all modes.

Two single-player campaign maps, Cold War and Heavy Metal, were also ported to multiplayer. Kit upgrades were released in 2010, including two additional pins and one award per class, plus camouflage. Kit shortcuts unlocked all primary weapons, gadgets, and specialisations for each class. A new mode, Onslaught, was released in June 2010 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, allowing up to four players to cooperatively face endless waves of computer-controlled enemies.

Reception

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 received mostly positive reviews. Metacritic gave the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions 88/100, the PC version 87/100, and the iOS version 64/100. GameZone scored it 9.25/10, calling it a great sequel that builds on its predecessor. Game Informer gave 9.5/10, praising improvements over the first Bad Company.

GameTrailers gave 9.1/10, commending the multiplayer and level design but calling the single-player predictable. GameSpy gave 4.5/5 stars, describing the campaign as a blast and noting the multiplayer's staying power. Eurogamer gave 9/10, calling it an open challenge to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and a way superior game. IGN gave 8.9/10, praising near-photo-realistic visuals.

The game was nominated for Action Game of the Year, Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay, and Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design at the 14th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards. It sold 2.3 million copies in March 2010 in Europe and North America, over 5 million by May 2010, almost 6 million by November, over 9 million by June 2011, and over 12 million by March 2012.

Did You Know?

• The game was first announced in February 2009.
• DICE posted a Twitter announcement on October 19 stating the game would have dedicated server support, in response to Infinity Ward's announcement that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 would not support dedicated servers.